This invention relates to an improved hair integration system and method of attaching such system to a wearer""s head.
Various hair systems have been available that replicate hair and are worn with those that have thinning hair or no hair at all. Some systems use human hair while others use synthetic hair. The human hair systems generally utilize European or Indian hair because it is the finest hair available. The advantage to using human hair is that no man made material can duplicate the feel or naturalness of human hair. Additionally, the human hair can be easily permed, blow dried, or styled to suit each individual. The disadvantage with using human hair is that oxidation may occur after a period of time and the hair may need to be recolored periodically. On the other hand, synthetic hair fades in color more slowly and recoloring is not necessary. Additionally, it has memory and can be pre-styled to customize each individual""s preferences and it tangles less easily.
Previous hair systems have been attached to the head by various methods. Bonding is the most permanent type of attachment and is done with adhesive applied to the hair system. Bonding is the most secure method of attaching the hair system to the scalp. The bonding material is usually some kind of glue or medical adhesive, and is applied to the perimeter on the base of the hair system and then attached to the scalp. With this type of bonding, most people can shower and swim without having to take the hair system off for an extended period of time. However, the major drawback is that the hair system will become loose after about four to six weeks. This means that periodic visits to the hair replacement studio are necessary for the wearer to have the scalp cleansed and to have new bonding material reapplied to the hair system. Additionally, the life of the hair system tends to be shorter.
Taping is another form of attaching hair systems. It is the most convenient method available. Taping allows for frequent cleaning of the scalp and also prolongs the life of the unit. Many tapes available are waterproof so that a person may participate in sports or go swimming without having to worry about the hair system coming off. Additionally, tape can be a very secure method of attachment of hair pieces.
Finally, clips are another method of attachment of hair pieces. With this method, tiny clips are sewn into the perimeter of the hair system. The hair system is then clipped into a person""s existing hair to facilitate the attachment. While this type of attachment can be quite secure, the major drawback is that the clips are very uncomfortable.
The problem with the previous hair attachment systems is that none of them combined the ability to integrate a person""s existing hair with a system that allowed for attachment to a person""s scalp. Integration systems have traditionally involved hair pieces that utilized crochet cap-like matrixes with openings. The openings allowed for hair to be drawn through them in order to add more hair onto the person""s existing hair. The crochet material was often made of thread or fabric material which was not comfortable for the wearer. Additionally, these systems generally required the integrated hair to be attached to a person""s existing hair. This is problematic because the integrated hair grows out as the person""s hair grows out and the integrations become visible. This is not aesthetically appealing and additionally, as the person""s hair grows out, the integration becomes less secure and shifts out of the originally secured position.
Therefore, there is a need for a hair system that securely attaches to a person""s head so that regrowth is not a problem and also integrates the person""s hair into the system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hair integration system and method of attachment thereof.
According to one aspect of the invention, a hair integration apparatus is provided. The apparatus is comprised of a cap-like matrix of a predetermined shape that fits over a person""s head, multiple hair pull-through openings across at least part of the area of the matrix, and a plurality of hair strands secured to the cap and extending therefrom in order to imitate naturally growing hair. The cap has an inner surface and an outer surface and has multiple openings positioned across at least part of the entire area. The cap is formed of two separate areas or regions. The first region corresponds to the region of a person""s head at the front of the head adjacent to the brow. This region of the cap is comprised of breathable monofilament mesh material that contains holes that are large enough to allow moisture to escape. The monofilament material is water permeable and allows moisture to escape from the top of the wearer""s head through the material, however, the monofilament nylon material contains no pull-through openings. The second region of the cap extends from the first region down to the perimeter of the cap. This second region is comprised of breathable material that is stretchable and is able to be attached to a person""s scalp. The material is artificial man-made skin such as that manufactured by New Concepts of Florida, U.S.A. Around the periphery of the second region of the cap is a continuous band of the material. This band extends around the entire bottom perimeter of the cap and is used to adhere the cap to the user""s head.
The cap has an upper portion, opposite side portions, and a rear portion. Each portion covers the corresponding portions of the wearer""s head. The upper portion is the one that is made of the monofilament material but does not contain any pull-through openings. The opposite side portions contain at least some openings that are generally parallel slots that extend in a direction from the front to the rear of the cap. Additionally, the rear portion of the cap also contains some openings that are configured in the same manner as those of the side portions. The openings in each of the side portions extend over a generally triangular area having a base that is adjacent to the upper portion of the cap with the apex of the triangle adjacent to the perimeter of the cap. The openings for the hair pull-through are generally decreasing in length from the base of the triangle area to the apex. Additionally, the openings in the rear portion of the cap extend over a generally triangular area. The area has its base adjacent to the perimeter of the cap and the apex adjacent to the upper portion of the cap in a manner that is oriented opposite from that of the sides of the cap. The openings in the rear portion of the cap extend over a generally triangular area having a base adjacent to the perimeter of the cap and an apex adjacent to the upper portion of the cap. The openings comprise a stack of slots that extend parallel to one another and also to the base of the triangular area. The slots are of gradually decreasing dimensions from the base to the apex of the rear triangular area. The cap also has a front flap that extends from the perimeter of the cap at the region that corresponds to the brow of a wearer""s head. A portion of the front flap projecting a short distance from the perimeter has hair attached to it. The remainder has no hair attached and is instead intended to be used by a user to grip the cap while positioning it onto the wearer""s head. Once the cap has been positioned and bonded onto the wearer""s head, the forward portion of front flap is then clipped off up to the hair covered portion in order to be removed from the cap. The unattached front portion of the flap provides for a very natural look to the integrated system.
One advantage of the present embodiment described herein is that because the hair system is attached to the wearer""s scalp and not to the existing hair, when the existing hair grows out, there is no fear of the integration slipping out of place. Additionally, because present integration system is formed from the cap base that stretches around the person""s head, the fit is more natural looking. There is no fear of the integration slipping or growing out as in the prior systems. Also, because the cap is not formed of crochet thread or fabric material, it is more comfortable on the wearer""s head. The cap of the hair integration, when attached to the scalp and with the hair integrated with the wearer""s hair, will be substantially invisible.
Because the entire system is intended to be used as an integrated system with the user""s own hair, the present system is uniquely designed with various combinations of hair color blended within each system. The system may have three to eight different shades blended in different proportions in different areas of the cap, so that the added hair blends naturally and more or less invisibly with the wearer""s own hair. The color of the hair does not have to be all the same and therefore multiple colors are used together in various combinations in order to provide for a look that is more natural.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of attaching a hair integration device to a wearer""s head is provided, which first begins with the step of placing a hair integration device over at least a portion of the wearer""s head to which additional hair is to be added. The hair integration device comprises a base and a plurality of hair strands attached to extend from an outer surface of the base. At least a portion of the base comprises stretchable material. An example of such material is the artificial man-made skin manufactured by New Concepts of Florida, U.S.A. Another portion of the cap is made of monofilament mesh that is a breathable material so that body heat is allowed to escape from a person""s body that is wearing the cap. An example of this material is monofilament nylon mesh breathable fabric also manufactured by New Concepts. A line is drawn on the wearer""s scalp that corresponds with to the perimeter of the base in order to align the base for positioning onto the wearer""s head and then the hair integration device is removed from the wearer""s head. Then a layer of adhesive is applied to at least part of the inner surface of the base for the first layer of adhesive. A second layer of adhesive is then applied in the form of a tape strip onto the adhesive layer. Then a layer of grafting solution is applied to the tape strip and a layer of grafting solution is also applied to the line marked area of the wearer""s scalp. After all of the adhesive layers have been applied, the inner surface of the base is pressed to the line marked area of the wearer""s scalp so that the base becomes grafted to the wearer""s scalp, and then the wearer""s hair is integrated with the hair attached to the base. An example of the layer of the adhesive applied first to the inner surface of the base is xe2x80x9cBe Sure Dab onxe2x80x9d adhesive manufactured by Premier Products of California, U.S.A. An example of the tape strip is xe2x80x9cRed Liner Tapexe2x80x9d manufactured by Walker Tape Company of Utah, U.S.A. and an example of the grafting solution is xe2x80x9cMax Grafting Solutionxe2x80x9d manufactured by Cohesive Solutions of California, U.S.A.
According to a final aspect of the present invention, a method of integrating a person""s natural hair with hair attached to a hair integration device is provided. First, a cap is positioned over a wearer""s head to cover the wearer""s natural hair and extend at least a short distance beyond the hairline at the front of the head or brow. The cap covers at least part of the wearer""s natural hair but terminates short of the hairline at the sides and rear of the head. The cap has opposite inner and outer surfaces, a perimeter, and a plurality of spaced, pull-through openings extending across at least part of the area of the cap. The cap also has multiple hair strands attached to the outer surface of the cap. At least the perimeter of the cap is secured to the wearer""s head, adjacent to the hairline. Securing the cap is performed by first marking the position of the perimeter of the cap on the wearer""s head. Then the cap is removed and grafting material is applied around the perimeter of the inner surface of the cap and in a narrow strip around the marked region of the wearer""s head. Then the cap is repositioned over the wearer""s head and the perimeter of the cap is pressed against the grafting material layer on the wearer""s head to secure the cap in position over the head. After the cap has been secured, then portions of the wearer""s natural hair are pulled through the hair pull-through openings and integrated with the natural hair of the wearer and with the hair attached to the cap.